2024 Presidential Campaign Blog

Release: Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski's Statement on the Republican Primary Presidential Debate

Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski's Statement on the Republican Primary Presidential Debate

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Never Back Down CEO Chris Jankowski released the following statement following tonight's GOP Primary Presidential Debate:

"Governor DeSantis showed America this evening a dominant performance and how he has the vision and focus to lead on Day One as President DeSantis. Instead of accepting the broken premise of American decline the Governor showed what conservative principles can promise for tomorrow. That kind of leadership wins debates and more importantly, wins elections."

Release: What They Are Saying: Ron DeSantis Dominates on the Debate Stage

What They Are Saying: Ron DeSantis Dominates on the Debate Stage

“Desantis is objectively crushing this debate. Others are going to have to come take it from him.”
David Marcus: DeSantis won.

Comfortably Smug: DeSantis is over performing He’s doing great

Tomi Lahren: DeSantis is the only one on that stage who has actually DONE something when it comes to education

Josh Holmes: Desantis is objectively crushing this debate. Others are going to have to come take it from him.

Ben Domenech: Vivek was the lightning rod in this debate. He's so disliked by the other candidates, he took all the incoming fire. DeSantis emerged not just unscathed, but solidly improved.

New Hampshire Today’s Chris Ryan: NH and Iowa voters famously punish candidates who feel they are above campaigning. DeSantis attended more events in NH on Saturday as Trump has done this year.

Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany: "We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline." - Governor @RonDeSantis #GOPDebate

Congressman Rich McCormick: Tonight showed that there is only one candidate in the race for President with a track record of successfully tackling the issues Americans face today and the guts to defend that record live on television. #DeSantis2024

Fox News’ Kayleigh McEnany: Governor @RonDeSantis on several occasions has invoked the personal stories of American people... A woman he met who survived an abortion. An angel mom who lost her son to fentanyl because of the cartels. He continually turns it from the Politicians to the People. What Election 2024 is all about... #GOPDebate

Dana Loesch: Strong opening statement from DeSantis: "Our country is in decline." Well, it's true. #GOPDebate

Ari Fleischer: Smart move by DeSantis to take charge of that question about climate change. Good answer.

Ari Fleischer: DeSantis is having a strong night so far. He’s making his case well and reminding people why he’s been a successful and popular governor.

Ari Fleischer: Trump cant like what a good night DeSantis is having.

Steve Deace: Absolutely perfect #ProLife answer from DeSantis.

Kayleigh McEnany: Governor @RonDeSantis spoke about abortion and his pro-life policies by personalizing it. He shared about hearing his daughter's heartbeat for the first time. And then he recalled meeting an abortion survivor, Penny, who was cast aside to die. Very good answer when you listen to it in full. #GOPDebate

Jordan B. Peterson: Compelling words from DeSantis @RonDeSantis on abortion

Jordan Peterson: Governor @RonDeSantis wallops George Soros and his funding of progressive lawmakers

Tomi Lauren: DeSantis is right about his record. Only one that’s actually removed the Soros funded DAs.

Guy Benson: DeSantis highlighting his *actions* on these issues at every opportunity

Jordan Peterson: Governor @RonDeSantis wallops George Soros and his funding of progressive lawmakers

Ari Fleischer: DeSantis is having a strong night so far. He’s making his case well and reminding people why he’s been a successful and popular governor.

Mary Katherine Ham: DeSantis strategy, and it is pretty effective: Gimme a topic. Yeah, I did that thing. Let me tell you what I did. It happened in Florida. Results.

Mary Katherine Ham: Ron DeSantis is extremely correct on school closings and there are bunch of Floridian kids who have less unnecessary mental health problems and learning loss because he stood up to fearmongers and unions.

Steve Deace: Fantastic answer on the border there by DeSantis. That might be his best of the night now.

Ann Coulter: DeSantis is right: Fox's objective seems to be to destroy the Republican Party tonight - Trump, Trump, Trump, Jan 6, Jan 6, Jan 6, abortion and CLIMATE CHANGE.

Caleb Hull: Great point by DeSantis. Democrats want the question of January 6 to come up. Move on.

Rich Lowry: Stone…cold…dead

Chris Loesch: DeSantis had the best mic drop member of the night so far: "I'm not gonna send troops to Ukraine but I am going to send them to the southern border."
Fox News’ Bill Melugin: NEW: DeSantis says he would support sending US special forces across the border into Mexico to combat cartels and target fentanyl labs, etc. Says he would do it on “day one”.

Megan Basham: DeSantis in his wheelhouse on education question--"We need education not indoctrination...In Florida we eliminated critical race theory, we eliminated gender ideology, and we increased instruction on civics, the constitution, and the bill of rights.”

Fox News’ David Asman: As expected, no one talks with more authority about service to our country than the man who volunteered to go to Fallujah at the height of its madness.

Release: DeSantis Dominates First GOP Primary Debate

DeSantis Dominates First GOP Primary Debate

Shows the nation that he is ready to beat Joe Biden and lead as Commander-in-Chief

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Ron DeSantis dominated tonight’s debate by laying out what he will do as President to reverse our nation’s decline and revive the American Dream.

“Tonight, Ron DeSantis showed the nation that he is ready to beat Joe Biden, reverse our nation’s decline, and revive the American Dream,” DeSantis for President Campaign Manager James Uthmeier said. “While other candidates attacked each other, Governor DeSantis stayed focused on the American people and fighting for their future with a clear vision to fix our economy, secure the border, empower parents, back law enforcement, and stand up to the leftist elites and the DC establishment. It is clear from tonight’s debate that Ron DeSantis is the only candidate who has what it takes to fight – and win – against Joe Biden and the Democrats. Ron DeSantis won the night in Milwaukee, and we look forward to continuing to build on this momentum on the ground in Iowa and the rest of the early states.”
The top two moments of the night came when DeSantis talked about his plan to reverse Bidenomics so that middle class families have a chance to succeed again, and when he shared how his background as a Navy veteran will inform his leadership philosophy as president.

“Our country is in decline. This decline is not inevitable. It's a choice. We need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline. And it starts with understanding we must reverse Bidenomics so that middle class families have a chance to succeed again, we cannot succeed as a country. If you are working hard and you can't afford groceries, a car or a new home while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings, that is wrong. We also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation. And finally, we need to lower your gas prices. We're going to open up all energy production, we will be energy dominant again in this country. I showed it could be done in the state of Florida. I pledge to you as your President, we will get the job done and I will not let you down.”

“I'm somebody that volunteered to serve inspired by September 11. And I deployed to Iraq, alongside US Navy SEALs in places like Fallujah, Ramadi. It's something that I think has taught me... you know, when you go in that type of environment, anything you have - your personal agenda - you check it at the door. You go there, and it's about focusing on the mission, above all else. Guys come together and they get it done. That's how I would view being the President of the United States. It's not about me. It's not about all these other side issues. My sole focus will be on your future and reversing this country's decline.”

Ron DeSantis: “I'm somebody that volunteered to serve, inspired by September 11.”

Ron DeSantis: “I'm somebody that volunteered to serve, inspired by September 11.”

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – During the first Republican presidential primary debate tonight, Ron DeSantis said:
“I'm somebody that volunteered to serve inspired by September 11. And I deployed to Iraq, alongside US Navy SEALs in places like Fallujah, Ramadi. It's something that I think has taught me... you know, when you go in that type of environment, anything you have - your personal agenda - you check it at the door. You go there, and it's about focusing on the mission, above all else. Guys come together and they get it done. That's how I would view being the President of the United States. It's not about me. It's not about all these other side issues. My sole focus will be on your future and reversing this country's decline.”

Release: Ron DeSantis: “We're going to use force, and we're going to leave them stone cold dead.”

Ron DeSantis: “We're going to use force, and we're going to leave them stone cold dead.”

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – During the first Republican presidential primary debate tonight, Ron DeSantis said:
“As President of the United States, your first obligation is to defend our country and its people. And that means, you're sending all this money, but you're not doing what we need to do to secure our own border. We have tens of thousands of people who are being killed...

Well, we're not handling both, and so I am going to declare it a national emergency. I'm not going to send troops to Ukraine, but I am going to send them to our southern border. When these drug pushers are bringing fentanyl across the border, that's going to be the last thing they do. We're going to use force, and we're going to leave them stone cold dead.”

“Here's the thing that cartels are killing tens of thousands of our fellow citizens. You want to talk about a country in decline? You have the cartels controlling a lot of part of your southern border, we have to reestablish the rule of law, and we have to defend our people. The President of the United States has got to use all available powers as Commander-in-Chief to protect our country and to protect the people. So when they're coming across, yes, we're going to use lethal force. Yes, we reserve the right to operate. How many more tens of thousands are we going to let to die?

I am sick. I've met Angel moms throughout this country. I met a lady in Texas named Tracy and her son took one Percocet that was laced with fentanyl, immediately died. That is happening all across this country because of the poison that they are bringing in. So as President, would I use force would I treat them as foreign terrorist organizations? You're darn right I would.”

Release: Ron DeSantis Will Restore our Military to Mission-First

Ron DeSantis Will Restore our Military to Mission-First

Navy Veteran Ron DeSantis has a detailed plan to restore America’s military and make it mission-focused once again.

“There was no greater honor than knowing I was wearing the cloth of my country when I served in the military, but our nation’s once-proud fighting force has been infected and paralyzed by a political agenda. It is time to rip the woke out of the military and return it to its core mission. We must restore a sense of confidence, conviction, and patriotic duty to our institutions — and that begins with our military.” - Ron DeSantis

DeSantis’ plan features four key pillars:
• Ripping Political Agendas Out of Our Military
• Restoring Military Standards
• Breaking the Swamp & Promoting Accountability
• Turning the Tide Against Biden’s Military Recruitment Crisis 
DeSantis volunteered to join the Navy after graduating from Harvard Law School where he deployed in support of SEAL Team One as a JAG officer in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star.

Release: Ron DeSantis Delivers Results

Ron DeSantis Delivers Results

No one on stage tonight has won more tough fights and achieved more results than Ron DeSantis. While other candidates talk, DeSantis delivers. As President, DeSantis will be a leader who keeps his word.

The Facts:
• DeSantis took on the biomedical establishment and stood up to Fauci to protect Florida families from lockdowns, vaccine mandates, and mask mandates.
• DeSantis took on the education establishment and:
o Stood up to Fauci and fought teacher unions to open schools in 2020 so that every student could access in-person education.
o Signed the most expansive school choice legislation in the country into law.
o Signed landmark Paycheck Protection legislation to rein in teacher unions and empower educators.
o Signed and expanded the Parental Rights in Education Act, which keeps radical gender theory and pornography out of our schools, makes curriculum and reading materials transparent, and puts parents in control of their kid’s education, upbringing, and mental health decisions.
o Signed the “nation’s most expansive ban on critical race theory”’ into law.
o Signed into law civic education requirements centered on individual rights, the American Founding, and the responsibilities of citizenship.
o Defended women’s sports by signing legislation ensuring only biological women are allowed to compete in women’s events. He also issued a proclamation declaring Florida-born Emma Weyant as the winner of the women’s 500-yard (457-meter) freestyle at the NCAA women’s tournament, rather than transgender athlete Lia Thomas.
o Forced the College Board to revise their curriculum for their Advanced Placement African American studies course to rid it of Critical Race Theory and Queer Theory.
• DeSantis took on the corporate establishment and:
o Signed legislation to end self-governing status and special privileges provided to Walt Disney World through the Reedy Creek Improvement District and establish a new state-controlled district accountable to the people of Florida.
o Signed legislation to protect jobs so that corporations cannot fire or discriminate against Floridians based on covid vaccination status.
o Stood up for Special Olympics athletes so that they were allowed to compete, after the organization tried to exclude them based on vaccination status.
o Fought cruise lines that sought to impose unlawful covid vaccine passports.
o Stood up to the NCAA when they threatened to boycott Florida if he signed the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.
o Signed legislation allowing Floridians censored by Big Tech platforms to have the right to sue companies and be awarded monetary damages.
o Signed legislation to protect Florida’s investments from woke environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), ensuring that all investment decisions focus solely on maximizing the highest rate of return. DeSantis announced that Florida’s pension fund divested $2 billion from BlackRock because the corporation prioritized an “ideological joyride” over fiduciary duty.
o Signed the STOP Woke Act to provide protections from corporate discrimination under the guise of “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (DEI).
o Issued Executive Order 22-164 to drive transparency and provide cheaper drugs for Floridians. This order increased access to life saving medication and reformed state contracts with Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs ineligible for importation, such as insulin and epinephrine. To hold the federal government and Big Pharma accountable, DeSantis successfully petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to convene a Statewide Grand Jury to investigate crimes and wrongdoing committed against Floridians related to the COVID vaccine.
o Vetoed legislation that was created to favor the sugar industry and would have harmed the Everglades.

Release: Ron DeSantis Will Secure Our Border and Stop the Invasion

Ron DeSantis Will Secure Our Border and Stop the Invasion

Ron DeSantis has a detailed plan to secure the border once and for all. No excuses.

"Joe Biden's dereliction of duty has made our southern border a disaster zone. The Biden Administration is the critical link in an illegal transnational human smuggling syndicate. For decades, leaders from both parties have produced empty promises on border security, and now it is time to act to stop the invasion once and for all. As president, I will declare a national emergency on day one and will not rest until we build the wall, shut down illegal entry, and win the war against the drug cartels. No excuses. We will get it done." - Ron DeSantis

As president, DeSantis will:
• secure operational control of our border
• build the wall
• hold the Mexican drug cartels accountable
• stop the Department of Justice from suing states when they enforce immigration laws

Release: Ron DeSantis Will Put America’s Interests First on the World Stage

Ron DeSantis Will Put America’s Interests First on the World Stage

Ron DeSantis’ foreign policy approach will be to always do what is in the best interest of the American people – not the failed foreign policy establishment class.

• DeSantis has stated the number one foreign threat to America is China. He has also said Russia is also a malign actor and adversary.
• As a veteran, DeSantis opposes sending U.S. troops to Ukraine and has said it is time to bring the war to a “sustainable conclusion” with an enduring peace without rewarding Russia. DeSantis believes that Europe, especially Germany, must do more to ensure stability and security in their own backyard.
• DeSantis has said that Biden's failures of leadership emboldened Putin. The botched Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021 tragically demonstrated Biden’s weakness. DeSantis will reverse Biden’s policy of appeasement toward Iran, which has empowered Iran to support Russia’s war in Ukraine.
• Democrats’ Green New Deal agenda crushing American energy production has also empowered and enriched our adversaries, including Putin, whose economy is based on fossil fuel export. As President, DeSantis will unleash American energy production and make America energy dominant.

In a July 13 interview with influential Iowa conservative Steve Deace, who endorsed him, DeSantis explained how his military service has shaped his foreign policy views:
"I'm actually a product of the failures of our foreign policy in the sense that I served in the Iraq War... There was a lack of focus, it was a muddled mission. And I think if you look at the last several decades of US foreign policy intervention, you see a lot of action with no clear-cut successes.”
“We’ve got to focus on what is in our interest as a country, the safety and security of the American people. We cannot be indulging gauzy concepts like, 'Oh, we're going to be fighting, you know, for democracy abroad.' Whenever, wherever we've done that, as a country going back to World War I, it hasn't worked out well. So anything we're engaged in, there's got to be a concrete objective that we need to achieve. And we've been lacking that across a lot of those.”
"I believe President Reagan's approach was right: of peace through strength. ... the DC foreign policy elite has become hyper interventionist. They think that anything that's happening around the world requires the United States to stick our nose in it. You even had people with some of the recent instability in Russia, saying that the U.S. should be sticking its nose in that and try to propel some type of a change in regime. So that's not my position.”
“We cannot have a blank check policy, where we're just funding interventions without end. What is the ultimate end game that we're looking to do?”
“To say that we should be adding countries like Ukraine into NATO, that's a non-starter for me because all you're doing is you're putting more obligations on us to be able to defend. Why would we want to do things that are going to make it more likely that we're going to get dragged into a war? So, the goal of our foreign policy is, should be, to maintain peace and security in the world. We want to deter conflict, we don't want to invite conflict.”

In another recent interview, DeSantis answered a range of questions from Fox News' Bret Baier on Russia and Ukraine:
On resolving the conflict: “We need a sustainable peace in Europe. Without rewarding Putin's aggression. We don't want this to be an issue for the next 10, 20, 30, 40 years. Well, how do you get there? The Europeans need to do their fair share.”

On U.S. interests and opportunity costs: “We have drawn down our ammunition to crisis levels, some of our weapons stocks, we have other contingencies we have to be worried about. So as President, I would prioritize the China threat ... I would also deal with issues in our own hemisphere, starting with our border."
On Biden’s Green New Deal agenda: “[Biden’s] energy policy has helped sustain Putin's war machine. We open up domestic energy, that’s going to lower the price of oil and that's going to hurt Putin."

On Trump’s promise to end the Russia-Ukraine war in 24 hours: “He also said that Mexico would pay for a border wall, and all these other things. So clearly, that's not going to happen. I think that you need to bring leverage to the table."
 
On negotiating with Putin: “You have to be willing to negotiate with unsavory people, this world is not all peaches and cream. You’ve got to be very mindful of what you're walking into.”

Release: Ron DeSantis: “As President, we're going to go after all of these people because they are hurting the quality of life and they are victimizing innocent people in every corner of this country in it will stop when I get into office.”

Ron DeSantis: “As President, we're going to go after all of these people because they are hurting the quality of life and they are victimizing innocent people in every corner of this country in it will stop when I get into office.”

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – During the first Republican presidential primary debate tonight, Ron DeSantis said:

“Actually crime's at a 50 year low on Florida. We're happy with that. Well, the statewide is a 50 year low. And so here's the thing. These hollowed out cities, this is a symptom of America's decline. And one of the biggest reasons is because you have George Soros funding these radical left wing district attorneys. They get into office and they say they're not going to prosecute crimes. They disagree. The inmates start running the asylum. There's one guy in this entire country that's ever done anything about that -- me. When we had two of these district attorneys in Florida, elected with Soros funding who said they wouldn't do their job. I removed them from their posts. They are gone.

As President, we're going to go after all of these people because they are hurting the quality of life and they are victimizing innocent people in every corner of this country. It will stop when I get into office.”